A ruling by a state Supreme Court judge on Monday cleared Harry Ruiz’s name, wiping away a murder conviction he carried for decades — even after walking out of prison in 2019.

What You Need To Know

The 57-year-old was 25 years old when he was convicted in the 1993 killing of Emmanuel Felix in Harlem and sentenced to 25 years to life

A reinvestigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s Post-Conviction Justice Unit uncovered evidence prosecutors say was never turned over to the defense, including more than $17,000 in benefits given to key witnesses

Since 2022, the Post-Conviction Justice Unit has helped vacate 14 convictions, including eight homicides

“There is no graver injustice than [the] conviction of an innocent person,” New York State Supreme Court Justice Robert Mandelbaum said.

Ruiz walked out of the courtroom, not just free, but exonerated — no longer labeled a convicted killed.

“I can breathe. I can finally breathe. I can finally live life,” Ruiz said.

The 57-year-old was 25 years old when he was convicted in the 1993 killing of Emmanuel Felix in Harlem and sentenced to 25 years to life.

The case hinged on a 13-year-old witness, who initially pointed to another man in court before identifying Ruiz. Two other witnesses never identified him at all.

“I said, ‘I didn’t do this, and if I have to die in there innocent, then so be it,’” Ruiz said.

A reinvestigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s Post-Conviction Justice Unit uncovered evidence prosecutors say was never turned over to the defense, including more than $17,000 in benefits given to key witnesses.

Prosecutors also say new testimony points to a murder-for-hire plot with no connection to Ruiz.

“The old district attorney’s office knowingly and deliberately suppressed massive quantities of evidence,” Ruiz’s defense attorney, Ron Kuby, said.

The case was prosecuted under then-Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau.

During the investigation, a trial prosecutor refused to speak with current prosecutors, a silence the judge said spoke volumes.

“This was very much a case of, ‘We’ve decided who did it, we’re going to convict him,’” Kuby said.

And while Ruiz’s name is cleared, he can’t get those years back.

“It’s sad because my life was taken away at a young age, but I’m grateful to be here,” Ruiz said.

Since 2022, the Post-Conviction Justice Unit has helped vacate 14 convictions, including eight homicides.